Table of Contents
WHAT JUST HAPPENED?
- 19 students were killed and dozens suffered injuries in a massive fire that broke out in a coaching centre in Surat
- Locals said that there were nearly 50 students who were attending their tuition class when the fire broke out. Fire officials said that rescued students have narrated that they first saw smoke coming out in their classroom.
- Fire officers said that coaching centre is located at Takshashila commercial complex in Sarthana area in Surat.
FIRE SAFETY
- Whenever an incident of fire takes place, the investigation afterwards highlights issues such as noncompliant construction; lack of precautionary maintenance like the upkeep of extinguishers, fire doors, fire exits and their markings and assembly areas; gross overlook of safety procedures such as evacuation drills; and lack of recording of significant consideration for better response towards flammable materials, and their use in cladding and partitions walls.
THERE WAS NO SAFETY EQUIPMENT IN BUILDING, SAID FIRE BRIGADE OFFICIAL
- A fire brigade official addressed the media and revealed that there was no fire safety equipment in the building. He also stated that children had climbed to the terrace to escape the fire
- He also stated that the fire brigade had earlier issued a notice stating that the building was not fire safety compliant.
THE NATIONAL BUILDING CODE OF INDIA, 2016
THE NATIONAL BUILDING CODE OF INDIA, 2016
- Part 4 of the National Building Code (NBC) of India, 2016, is titled ‘Fire and Life Safety’. It covers the requirements for fire prevention, life safety in relation to fire and fire protection of buildings.
- The code specifies occupancy-wise classification, constructional aspects, egress requirements and protection features that are necessary to minimise danger to life and property from fire. It specifies the demarcations of fire zones, restrictions on constructions of buildings in each fire zone, classifications of buildings based on occupancy, types of building construction according to fire resistance of the structural and non-structural components and other restrictions and requirements necessary to minimise danger of life from fire, smoke, fumes or panic before the buildings can be evacuated.
THE CODE BROADLY COVERS
- Fire prevention: This covers aspects of fire prevention pertaining to the design and construction of buildings. It also describes the various types of buildings materials and their fire rating.
- Life Safety: This covers life safety provisions in the event of fire and similar emergencies, also addressing construction and occupancy features that are necessary to minimise danger to life from fire, smoke, fumes or panic.
- Fire Protection: Covers significant appurtenances (accessories) and their related components and guidelines for selecting the correct type of equipment and installations meant for fire protection of the building, depending upon the classifications and type of building.
- Fire safety in India is often neglected leading to devastating tragedies with alarming frequency.
- More than 17,000 people died in fires in 2015 alone, according to government data, the last year for which figures are available, one of the largest causes of accidental death in the country.
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